Breech-loading firearm.



'i` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED e. LA RIVIERE AND WILLIAM FERGUSON, OF OEIOOFEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, a TOOL COMPANY, OF OEIOOPEE FALLS, MASSACHU- ASSIGNORS TO J. STEVENS ARMS SETTS, A CORPORATION.

nREEoH-LOADING EIREARM.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that'we, ALFRED G. LA RIVIERE and WILLIAM FERGUSON, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Chicopee Falls, in the county of Hampden and AState of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech Loading Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to breech-loading rearms, the object thereof being to provide a construction of this type in which the mechanism is simplified, the number of parts being reduced and the manufacture of the arm therefore cheapened.

In the drawings forming part of this application, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a breech-loading firearm in which the invention has been embodied, showing an arm of the type in which the breech-block is pivoted under the barrel and swings up against and away from the breech end thereof, this view showing the breech-block swung downward in position for loading the arm. Fig. 2 is a view similarto Fig. l showing the breech-block up against, and closing, the end of the barrel in position for firing the arm.

Referring to 1these drawings, a indicates a portion of the barrel, and b partof the stock on which the barrel is mounted,-o,indicating the frame in to which the barrel is secured in the usual manner.

I The hammer d is mounted inthe frame 'and pivotally supported on the pin e,-f being the trigger operatively related to the hammer in the usual manner.

The breech-block is indicated by g and swings on a pin h in the frame. y

The extractor c is slidably supported under the barrel being engaged by a pin m in the breech-block in such a manner that the downward movement of the breech-block operates the extractor in the well known manner. Beneath the breech-block, forwardly of the hammer, is a lever o swinging on a pin p. On one side of said pin said lever has a downwardly hanging end q 40lthrough which a rod r passesloosely, the opposite end being pivotally connected to the hammer below the pivotal point of the latter. On this rod is a spiral spring s normally under compression. On the opposite side of the pin p is an upstanding vend t of the lever o which end extends up over the forward end of the breech-block against which it isyieldingly pressed by the expansive action of the spring s.

When the breech-blockis in the position shown in Fig. 2 (that is closed) it will be seen that the pressure exerted by the upper end of the lever o is against the lower forward end of the breech-block below its pivas shown in Fig. l.

otal point h. Therefore, the expansive action of the spring s will tend to hold the other end of the breechblock against the end of the barrel yieldingly.

When the breech-block is swung downward, as shown in Fig. l, the lower forward corner thereof will swing against the upper end t of the lever o, swinging the latter on its pivot-pin and thus compressing still further the spring s, and when the breech-block is in its lowermost position, the line of force exerted against the forward lower corner thereof by the lever 0 will pass above the pivot-pin h of the block and therefore tend to hold the latter yieldingly in an open position, In other words, the breech-block has a sort of toggle movement in connection with the lever o both in swinging to a closed or to an opened position.

When the breech-block is in closed position, the hammer d may be cocked thereby carrying the rod r .forward and 'further compressing the spring s which operation tends to increase the pressure brought againstA the breech-block to hold it closed. The breech-block is provided with the usual firing-pin o and with a stud w extending from the side thereof, whereby it may be manipulated, this stud being Patented July 2, 1907.

shown, however, in dotted lines.

What we claim, isz- 1. In a breech-loadingr firearm, in combination with a pivotal breech-block, a hammer, and actuating spring there'- for, and a pivoted lever one end of which serves as an abutment for said spring and the opposite end of which bears on said breech block, whereby the latter is yieldingly held in an opened or closed position by thev action of th spring.

2. In a breech-loading rearm,'in combination with a pivotal breech-block, a hammer, an actuating spring there for and a piv'oted lever, one end of which serves as an abutment for said spring and the opposite end of which bears on said breech-block, whereby the latter is yieldingly held in an opened or closed position by the action of the spring, a pin carried by the breech-block, a cartridge extractor mounted on the barrel and engaged by the pin, whereby the extractor is moved in unison with the breech-block.

3. In a firearm, a pivotal breech-block, one end of the same lying beneath the barrel, an S-shaped lever having one end engaging the block and its opposite end supporting lever and block, as described.

ALFRED G. LA RIVIERE. WILLIAM FERGUSON.

'a compression spring, said spring having its opposite end connected to the hammer', whereby the block can be maintained in either open or closed position, and whereby the hammer can be operated independently of the S-shaped 

